The company will serve as the official affiliate of the Biotechnology Innovation Organization (BIO) and will look to secure resources for the life sciences community in the state.

“There is no single organization, individual, or business that can build Rhode Island’s economy. It will require leadership, ingenuity, a long-term perspective and a unified commitment from the federal, state, academic institutions and private sectors to support this growth and change. We are here to support this commitment by advocating for policies and resources, convening like-minded professionals and organizations, and promoting the overall life sciences economy in our exceptional state,” said Carol Malysz, executive director, RI Bio.

New Collaborations and Services

In addition to rebranding, RI Bio announced a series of new collaborations and services that will begin “in the months to come.”

“RI Bio is an important contributor to Rhode Island’s flourishing life sciences ecosystem. This sector has grown significantly in recent years and we know RI Bio will continue to serve as an important catalyst within this vibrant and vital industry,” said Stefan Pryor, Rhode Island secretary of commerce.

According to their press release, the collaborations and services are as follows:

Leveraging the Revolution in Life Sciences: Growing the Rhode Island Innovation Ecosystem

Commissioned by Governor Gina Raimondo in 2016, the Rhode Island BioHub Group finalized the BioHub report in October 2018 in partnership with RI Bio. It outlines, in great detail, the potential economic impact of an integrated Life Sciences Innovation Ecosystem and the unique growth opportunities available to developing life sciences companies in the Rhode Island market. Availability of the report will be announced later this month.

Life Sciences Leadership Development Program

Via a partnership with Leadership Rhode Island, Bryant University and the Rhode Island Department of Labor & Training, RI Bio will be offering a training program that addresses the critical skills needed to grow life sciences organizations. The program will focus on change management, effective communication, conflict resolution, team building and strengths-based leadership. Initial RI Bio companies will include Amgen, EpiVax, Rhode Island Quality Institute and Ximedica.

New RI Bio Board Member: Michael J. Elliott, MBBS, PhD, FRACP

Newly appointed to the RI Bio Board of Directors is Michael Elliott, currently serving as Vice President, Immunology Scientific Innovation at Johnson & Johnson Innovation. Physician-scientist, drug developer and biotech pioneer, Dr. Elliott has led successful clinical development programs in the field of autoimmunity and served as general manager and site head for TransForm Pharmaceuticals, a former Johnson & Johnson portfolio company. His insight and expertise will be invaluable to the growth of RI Bio.

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